Efforts to revitalize a key segment of East Colfax Avenue in Aurora will now move into a new chapter after voters supported the creation of a new economic tool in a special election on Nov. 4.

A vast majority of residents, business owners and property owners along East Colfax between Yosemite Street and Oswego streets who voted in that special election threw their support behind the creation of a Downtown Development Authority that is intended to supercharge efforts to improve safety, housing affordability, business opportunities and more in the area often referred to as “Original Aurora.”

The authority, known as a DDA, is a governmental entity separate from the city and defined by state statute. The DDA will be led by a board appointed by the mayor and confirmed by a majority of the City Council to oversee implementation of DDA programs.

The DDA will use tax-increment financing to fund work along the East Colfax corridor with focuses including safety, infrastructure, small business support, housing, and economic development as outlined in the Colfax Community Vision and Action Plan. The tax increment financing would come from reinvesting the growth in tax revenue as property values and commercial activity in the DDA area increase over time. It will not create new taxes.

The boundaries of the East Colfax DDA stretch from Yosemite Street on the western end, East 16th Avenue to the north, the Fitzsimons Urban Renewal Area to the east, and East 14th Avenue to the south.

Now that voters within those boundaries have supported this approach, the city’s elected officials will be tasked with forming the authority’s board. Board members will include one City Council member and between four and ten members chosen from the DDA area. Those members must be residents, landowners, or business lessees within the authority’s boundaries. Information will be provided later this year about the city’s application and appointment process for DDA board members.

Over the last year, a draft Colfax Community Vision & Action Plan has been created to serve as a long-term roadmap for revitalizing East Colfax and the surrounding areas of Northwest Aurora. Grounded in community input, this plan lays out a shared vision for the next 10 to 20 years and suggests practical steps to achieve that vision.

This draft plan also sets the stage for creating the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) and a nonprofit Community Development Corporation (CDC). Together, these organizations would help create public improvements, support local businesses, and protect the area’s character while promoting economic growth that benefits everyone. The CDC would be able to operate beyond the DDA boundaries. It would focus on housing, economic development, advocacy, and coordination around area-wide issues. It would be governed by a community-based board and funded through grants, philanthropy, and a self-sustaining real estate strategy.

The DDA will not immediately begin collecting tax increment or supporting projects and initiatives along East Colfax. Those revenues would only start to accumulate over the coming year.

For more information about the process and to review the draft version of the Colfax Community Vision & Action plan, please visit EngageAurora.org/ColfaxPlan. Information about the formation of the DDA board will also be shared on that page later this year.